School board opposes HB 136
- Published: November 12, 2011
Three Yellow Springs school board members Angela Wright, Aïda Merhemic and Sean Creighton approved a resolution at their meeting Thursday, Nov. 10, opposing Ohio House Bill 136, which would allow students to use public school funds for tuition to attend a private institution (Benji Maruyama and Richard Lapedes were absent.)
Yellow Springs district currently includes 51 local students in grades K–12 who attend private schools, such as the Antioch School, St. Brigid and Miami Valley. Yellow Springs Superintendent Mario Basora estimates that if HB 136 passes, the local district could lose up to $365,000 in state funding, or 35 percent of the district’s current state funds.
The bill is currently pending review by the Ohio House of Representatives. Citizens can contact Representative Bob Hackett at district84@ohr.state.oh.us and Senator Chris Widener at sd10@senate.state.oh.us to share their opinions about the bill.
The resolution reads as follows:
Whereas, the Ohio House of Representatives is currently considering legislation that would significantly expand the viability of vouchers for students to attend private or parochial schools; and
Whereas, this legislation would grant vouchers to any public school student in Ohio to request and be granted a voucher, subject only to a family income standard of $95,000 or less; and
Whereas, such vouchers would be granted without regard to the academic performance of the public school that the student is assigned to attend; and
Whereas, the bill provides that students already enrolled in private or parochial schools would be eligible for such vouchers; and
Whereas, students receiving vouchers would be able to retain any excess funds in those instances where the cost of tuition is less than the value of the voucher for use in any private school or college in Ohio; and
Whereas, the operation of the proposed program would take dollars directly from the already financially beleaguered local public school districts resulting in fewer resources for the education of the remainaing students;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Yellow Springs Exempted Village School District Board of Education does hereby express its opposition to this legislation, HB 136 School Choice; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Yellow Springs Exempted Village School District Board of Education expresses it opposition to any legislation that seeks to transfer public dollars to support private education; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Treasurer be directed to spread this resolution upon the minutes of the Board of Education and that copies of the resolution be forwarded to all members of the Ohio House of Representatives & the Ohio Senate.
November 10, 2011
One Response to “School board opposes HB 136”
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I am a firm believer in the right to choose, but I DO NOT think that we as taxpayers should be funding PRIVATE schools. If a parent chooses to send their child there, it is up the THEM to come up with their own funding, period. Our taxes pay for public things, like police, fire, schools, etc. Our schools are already woefully underpaid and it’s PAST time that the inequity between districts is solved. This will only make matters worse, as many of the poorer districts are the ones who have more students electing other school options. END PRIVATIZATION!!!!